Podcasts have firmly entered the mainstream by 2025, with listenership and content reaching new heights worldwide. The medium that began as a niche has exploded into a multi-billion-dollar industry engaging hundreds of millions of people.
Below we explore the latest podcast statistics for 2025 – from how many people are tuning in, to where and how they listen, and what trends are shaping the podcast landscape.
Key Podcast Stats in 2025:
With these key facts in mind, let's dive deeper into the trends and details behind podcasting’s 2025 landscape.
Podcast listenership continues to rise globally in 2025, though the growth rate is moderating as the market matures. An estimated 584.1 million people worldwide will listen to a podcast this year., up ~6.8% from 2024 when there were about 546.7 million listeners.
For context, there were around 507 million listeners in 2023 – meaning the global podcast audience has expanded by roughly 15% in two years. Forecasts expect global listenership to reach ~652 million by 2027. While double-digit growth has given way to single-digit percentages, the continuous upward trend underscores that podcasts are still gaining new fans each year (just at a more gradual pace as we hit mass adoption).
The United States remains a podcast powerhouse in 2025. Over half of Americans (55% of the 12+ population) now listen to podcasts at least monthly. This equates to about 158 million monthly U.S. listeners. Just a year prior, roughly 47% were monthly listeners, highlighting significant year-over-year growth in reach. Weekly listening in the U.S. is also high – as per reports 34% of Americans listen to podcasts every week (about 98 million weekly listeners).
Overall, 210 million Americans have listened to a podcast in either audio or video form (ever), which is 73% of the population (12+) – an all-time high. In short, podcasts have firmly infiltrated the mainstream in the U.S., reaching audiences comparable to those of major social media platforms or radio.
Other regions are catching up fast. North America leads in podcast penetration, with roughly 45% of its population listening monthly in 2025. Western Europe isn’t far behind – about 32% of Western Europeans are monthly podcast listeners. Latin America has around 31% listening monthly and climbing.
Even in the Asia-Pacific, where overall percentages are lower, certain countries have very high engagement. For example, Indonesia (59%) and India (54%) of consumers say they listen to at least an hour of podcasts per week, outpacing the U.S. on that metric. Mexico (50%) and Brazil (44%) also boast about half or nearly half of consumers as weekly podcast listeners.
Notably, South Africa tops the global charts with 66% of people listening an hour+ weekly. These figures from a 49-market survey show that podcasting’s popularity is truly global, with some emerging markets embracing the medium even more avidly than the U.S.
Bottom line: The podcast audience in 2025 is huge and still growing. While the U.S. and English-speaking markets were early drivers, podcast listening is now a worldwide phenomenon, with strong uptake in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia as internet access and audio content proliferate. More people than ever are tuning in regularly, making podcasts an integral part of global media consumption.
Podcasts attract a broad demographic range, but they initially skewed younger – and those young listeners are still a core segment in 2025. In the U.S., about 66% of 12–34 year-olds listen monthly, the highest rate among age groups. The 35–54 age bracket is not far behind at 61% monthly listenership, showing that Gen X and older millennials have widely adopted podcasts as well.
Older adults 55+ are the lowest in penetration at 38% monthly, but this is still a substantial portion of seniors tuning in regularly (and this percentage has been growing). The age data indicates podcasts are no longer just a young person’s medium – middle-aged audiences have embraced them, and even half of people in their 50s and beyond have tried podcasts or listen occasionally.
In terms of gender, the podcast audience is relatively balanced. Men slightly outnumber women among U.S. listeners – about 57% of men vs. 52% of women listen monthly. This 5-point gap has narrowed over the years as more women have picked up podcasts.
Overall, that means podcasting appeals to both men and women in large numbers, unlike some media formats that skew heavily male or female. Podcasts also tend to attract educated, higher-income listeners at rates above the general population (as earlier Edison research has shown), making them a desirable audience for advertisers.
Mostly on the go or multitasking. With 86% of podcast listening happening on mobile devices (smartphones are by far the dominant device), podcasts fit seamlessly into daily routines. Many fans listen during commutes, exercising, doing housework, or cooking, essentially turning otherwise “dead” time into entertainment or learning time.
Surveys show that around 49% of podcast listeners in the U.S. tune in while doing household chores, 42% while commuting, and 29% while exercising. The portability and on-demand nature of podcasts make them ideal for these situations where video or text media wouldn’t be as convenient.
Listeners are highly engaged, often devouring hours of content weekly. The average weekly listener spends about 7 to 8 hours per week on podcasts, across roughly 8 episodes.
In fact, a large majority (over 80% of podcast fans) listen to more than 7 hours a week. And they tend to stick with episodes once they hit play – completion rates of episodes are relatively high (over two-thirds of listeners typically listen to entire episodes). This long-form engagement is a unique strength of podcasting: the audience isn’t just passively scrolling, but actively listening for extended periods.
Listeners cite learning new things (74%), entertainment (71%), and staying up to date (60%) as top reasons they tune in, according to Edison Research. In short, podcast consumers are attentive and loyal, treating their favorite shows as regular parts of their week.
One of the big shifts in podcasting by 2025 is where people listen. Historically, Apple Podcasts (iTunes) was the default podcast app, but today YouTube has emerged as the #1 platform for podcast consumption.
Approximately one-third of podcast listeners use YouTube as their primary way to access podcasts. This reflects the growing popularity of video podcasts – many creators now record video of their shows and publish episodes on YouTube in addition to audio feeds.
In the U.S., YouTube is now reported as the service used most often to listen to podcasts (even if people are “listening” to the audio while the video plays). The ease of discovery on YouTube and the appeal of seeing hosts/guests on camera have made it a powerhouse for podcast content.
Spotify is the second most popular podcast platform, following closely behind YouTube. Roughly 25–27% of listeners prefer Spotify for podcasts. Spotify has heavily invested in podcast content and technology (including exclusive shows and a video podcast feature), which has paid off in attracting a large share of the audience.
Apple Podcasts comes in third with around 14–15% of listeners primarily using it. While Apple’s share has declined from earlier years, it still hosts millions of shows and remains a key platform, especially for iOS users. The remaining quarter of podcast listening is scattered across other apps (Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Audible, etc.) and platforms specific to certain regions or languages.
The rise of video-integrated podcasts is a defining trend. According to Edison Research, 51% of Americans have watched a podcast video (for example, seeing a recording on YouTube or Spotify). Importantly, 48% of Americans have both listened to and watched podcasts, indicating significant overlap and that nearly half of U.S. podcast consumers engage in both formats. Another survey found that around 41% of U.S. podcast listeners now prefer podcasts that have a video option (sometimes called “watchable podcasts”).
Creators are responding by filming their studio sessions or conducting remote interviews on Zoom/Skype and uploading those videos. The video format helps attract audiences who might not seek out audio-only podcasts – they might discover episodes via YouTube recommendations or enjoy seeing facial expressions and visuals.
As one researcher put it, “It’s smart to think about it as podcast consumption instead of just listening”, since many new listeners are coming in through video channels. This doesn’t mean audio-only is going away (audio remains core to the medium’s appeal), but it means podcasts are expanding beyond the traditional podcast apps into hybrid media territory.
Despite the video growth, audio on mobile is still king for pure listening. As noted, about 86% of podcast listening happens on mobile devices (phones or tablets)t. Desktop or web browser listening accounts for under 10%, and smart speakers are still a very small slice (around 0.5–1% of podcast streams). This suggests that portability and convenience are crucial – people want to listen while moving around, and phones make that easy (often with Bluetooth headphones or in-car connections).
Major platforms at a glance: By 2025, Spotify’s catalog hosts over 7 million podcast titles (including about 300,000 video podcasts), and Apple Podcasts indexes about 2.7 million shows. The discrepancy in numbers is partly due to how each platform counts and the inclusion of many inactive shows.
The open ecosystem means podcasts can be on multiple platforms, but these tech giants are increasingly competing for exclusive content and listener loyalty. Meanwhile, YouTube’s influence highlights that the definition of a “podcast platform” is broadening – any platform where people consistently consume podcast content (audio or video) can claim a piece of the pie. For creators and marketers, the takeaway is that multi-format distribution (audio + video) and presence on YouTube, Spotify, etc., is becoming essential to maximize reach.
The explosion in podcast popularity is mirrored by a vast growth in content. As of late 2025, there are roughly 4.5 to 4.6 million podcast series in existence globally. However, not all are active – many shows have stopped producing new episodes. In fact, data from Podcast Index shows that out of ~4.6 million indexed podcasts, only ~0.45–0.5 million may be truly active (regularly updated).
This means over 4 million podcasts are essentially dormant, a phenomenon known in the industry as “Podfade”. Often, people start a podcast but discontinue it after a short run due to the effort required or lack of early traction. Still, new podcasts keep launching: in just a 3-month span in 2025, nearly 487,000 new podcast shows were published. The barrier to entry is low, so content keeps flooding in – but maintaining consistency is the challenge.
In terms of sheer content, tens of millions of episodes are out there. For example, Apple’s directory alone listed over 95 million episodes by January 2025. The average podcast produces about 66 episodes in its lifetime, and the median time between episode releases is 7 days (weekly) according to one analysis. Many active podcasts stick to a weekly schedule, while a dedicated few release new episodes multiple times per week.
Podcast episode lengths tend to be long-form but not too long. The median episode length is around 37 minutes. In fact, roughly 30% of podcast episodes are between 20 to 40 minutes long, which appears to hit a sweet spot for many listeners. Plenty of popular podcasts run longer (hour-plus shows are common, especially in interview and talk formats), but the data suggests content is often kept under an hour.
This length allows depth on a topic while still fitting into a commute or daily routine for listeners. Creators continue to experiment with both short-form (15 min or less) and long-form (2+ hours) formats depending on their audience’s appetite.
Podcasting covers virtually every topic under the sun, but some categories consistently attract the largest audiences. In the U.S., Comedy is the #1 podcast genre in terms of audience size, followed by News, Society & Culture, True Crime, and Sports as other top categories. This ranking (from Edison Research) shows that people turn to podcasts both for entertainment/laughs and for information or storytelling.
True crime has been a breakout genre globally over the past few years, maintaining strong popularity. Sports content is surging as well – one report noted sports is the fastest-growing podcast genre in the U.S. as of 2025, likely boosted by an abundance of sports talk shows and leagues launching official podcasts.
Niche genres like education, health & fitness, business, and technology also have sizable followings. Essentially, there’s a podcast for every interest, whether you want to learn calculus, follow English Premier League soccer, hear about unsolved mysteries, or chuckle at improv comedy.
It’s worth noting that some genre preferences vary by country. For instance, in the UK, Comedy is also top, but “Entertainment” podcasts (pop culture, TV/film discussion) and Sports are close behind. In many non-English markets, locally relevant genres (such as religion & spirituality in some regions, or specific cultural topics) rank highly. The diversity of content is a huge part of podcasting’s appeal – listeners can find highly specific shows that cater exactly to their passions. And thanks to the low production cost, new shows appear constantly to serve micro-niches or current trends.
Finally, when it comes to the most popular podcasts overall, familiar names continue to dominate. The Joe Rogan Experience remains the most-listened-to podcast globally as of 2025, with an estimated 11 million listeners per episode to its long-form interviews. Other globally popular shows include top true crime series, daily news digests (like The Daily), and comedy talk shows. Many traditional media outlets and celebrities have also jumped into podcasting, further boosting the content available.
Alongside audience growth, the economics of podcasting have boomed. Advertisers are pouring more money into podcasts to reach these engaged listeners. Worldwide podcast advertising spending is about $4.46 billion in 2025, up nearly 11% from the previous year.
Over half of this comes from the U.S. market, where podcast ad spend is around $2.5 billion for 2025. Brands value podcast audiences for their attentiveness and niche targeting – host-read ads and sponsor messages often blend seamlessly into shows and enjoy high listener trust.
In fact, host-read ads account for ~55% of all podcast ad revenue (by far the largest share), as advertisers and creators recognize that a personal endorsement by the host can be very effective. (By contrast, pre-produced ads read by a third-party announcer are about 40% of podcast ad revenue, and agency-produced spots are only ~3%.)
Beyond advertising, podcasts are monetized through sponsorships, listener donations, premium content, and live events. Many podcasters use affiliate marketing or offer bonus episodes via subscription platforms (Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, Patreon, etc.) to supplement ad income.
Some also monetize video versions on YouTube with ad revenue there. All these streams contribute to the growing podcast industry market size, which is estimated at roughly $40 billion globally in 2025 when considering all revenue channels.
Analysts project continued double-digit growth for the podcast sector – for example, one forecast expects the global market to exceed $60 billion by 2026 and around $75 billion by 2027 if current trends hold. Some optimistic forecasts even put the 2030 global podcast market above $100–200 billion given current compound growth rates, though such distant projections come with uncertainty.
In the U.S. specifically, the podcasting industry’s value is about $8.4 billion in 2025 (this includes advertising and other revenues). This is expected to nearly triple to $25+ billion by 2030 if growth continues at ~20% CAGR.
Big players like Spotify, Amazon (Audible/Wondery), SiriusXM, and Apple are investing heavily – acquiring podcast networks, signing exclusive talent deals, and improving monetization tools – aiming to capture more of this revenue. At the same time, independent creators are also benefiting from the low overhead of podcasting, meaning even smaller shows can be financially sustainable with a modest but dedicated audience.
From a business perspective, the key trend is that advertisers follow the ears: as podcast audiences grow and diversify, ad spending and creative monetization models are ramping up accordingly. The relatively intimate, trust-based relationship between podcast hosts and listeners yields advertising recall and conversion rates often higher than other digital media. This has led even more brands to allocate budget to podcast ads in 2025, further fueling the industry’s growth.
In 2025, podcasts are bigger than ever – both in audience and impact. With over 584 million listeners globally and 55% of Americans tuning in monthly, podcasts have evolved into a mainstream medium for information, entertainment, and education. The industry’s growth may be steady rather than explosive now, but new frontiers (like video podcasts and international markets) are expanding the reach even further.
Listeners are devoting significant time each week to their favorite shows, enjoying the flexibility of on-demand audio (and video) that fits into their lives. Meanwhile, creators are producing an abundance of content – millions of episodes across every conceivable genre – and innovation continues in how podcasts are delivered and monetized.
For anyone considering starting a podcast or marketing via podcasts, the statistics make a compelling case: podcasting in 2025 is a thriving ecosystem. The audience is large, engaged, and still growing around the world. Major platforms like YouTube and Spotify are pushing the medium into new formats and new highs.
And with the industry valued around $40 billion and climbing, podcasts are no longer just a hobbyist niche – they’re a significant pillar of the modern media landscape. All signs point to podcasting continuing to mature and innovate in the coming years, solidifying its place in our daily media diet.
References:
Podcast Statistics: Podcast Statistics 2025
Edison Research: The Infinite Dial 2025
DemandSage: How Many Podcasts Are There in 2025?
Talks: 105 Podcast Discovery Stats 2026: Platforms, Listeners, Ads & Trends
Backlinko: Podcast Statistics You Need To Know
